1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to supporting the airway of a subject as the subject breathes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patients that suffer from sleep disordered breathing are typically treated with a Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) device that provides a pressurized flow of breathing gas according to a predetermined mode of ventilation, such as continuous positive airway pressure, proportional positive airway pressure, and proportional assist ventilation, among others. The pressurized gas supports a patient's airway as the patient sleeps such that episodes of cessation of breathing that are associated with sleep disordered breathing are reduced or avoided. PAP devices may be uncomfortable to the patient. This reduces compliance with patients in treatment and may lead to some patients ceasing treatment altogether.
Another treatment for sleep disordered breathing used airway resistors that resist the flow of exhalation from the patient, thereby supporting the airway during exhalation. However, conventional airway resistors are disposed within the airway during treatment, which may be uncomfortable for some patients, and may be somewhat unhygienic. Disposal of conventional airway resistors within, for example, the nostrils of the patient will also reduce the internal cross-sectional area of the nostrils, which may adversely impact the therapy provided by the resistors. Further, airway resistors may be dislodged from the airway of patients, or may implement adhesives (e.g., around the nostrils) to hold the resistors in place. In some cases, conventional airway resistors are considered by some patients to be uncomfortable, and may not provide adequate support for some patients. For example, during inhalation conventional airway resistors may leave the airway completely unsupported, or even reduce the pressure due to some amount of resistance to the flow of inhaled gas.